johnson



Jan. 31, 1956 c. A. P. JOHNSON 2,732,643

NAME PANEL BOARD Filed sept. 1.8, 1951 2 sheets-sneer 1 L/ Vfwl BY Jan. 31, 1956 c. A. P.v JOHNSON NAME PANEL BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18 1951 INVENTOR. Cr/ ,4F-f Lhasa/7 gw fm/ Q4/Zang.

United States Patent 2,732,643 n NAME PANEL BOARD Carl A. P. Johnson, North Quincy, Mass., assigner to S. H. Couch Company, Inc., North Quincy, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts i The present invention relates Vto an indicator panel such as used in office buildings, apartment houses, hospitals and the like as a directory of the occupants.

The present invention is more particularlyconcerned with a panel of such a nature i-n which individual plates may-be used for each roomor-apartment, which arereadilyeremov'ed and interchanged and are-also illuminated.- i

It is of course essential in such adirectory panel to provide easy access to the-individual name plates so that they may be removed, cleaned or so that the electric bulb may be replaced if it should burn out.

It is also desirable in such a panel to have the individual plates removed from the front withoutopening the panel or disturbing it in any way. g

It is further desirable to have an individual light for each name plate and have it arranged in such a manner so that no light will illuminate morethan its own individual name plate. 'f

In addition to the above advantages which are provided in the present invention, the invention also has constructional features by means of which the elements of the t angle sections as indicated by a rectangular frame 10, which is A- and the end walls by the screws 9 to the plate 4 by Patented Jan. 31, 195s frame 1 or secured in any suitable manner. These may be individual brackets as shown in Figure 3, or a single bracket may extend the length of the frame on either side. Extending lengthwise of the frame, centrally between the brackets 2 and 3, is a plate 4, the sides of which are secured to the angle brackets 2 and 3 by a series of screws 9 which also hold one end ofthe U bracket 5.

The individual light box units include this U-shaped metallic bracket or channel element S, the short sides or prongs of which are turned up at right angles forming by 6, 6, designating the prongs. A boss 7 is punched in the outer face of the prongs as a means for securing the box element 8 which covers the vU-shaped member to it. The channelor U-shaped member 5 is secured to the brackets 2 and 3 at the outer corner through the plate 4 and at the inner corner means of the screws` 10 which are screwed through the rear face of the plate 4 into the cross elements 16 of each channel.or U-shaped member. The box 8 is forni'ed with an open'window face 9 surrounded provided with an upwardly extending shoulder 11 extending to the rearwardly extending walls 12 and 13 for the long sides,'and 14and 15 for the shorter end walls.

The box is open at the rear end as viewed in Figure 3 14 and 15 are not parallel but taper together in the direction of the window opening as may be seen in Figure 2.

The side walls 12 and direction towards the front 13 also' taper in a narrowing window opening. The prongs 6 maybe at right angles tothe cross elements 5 of the structure, particularly the individual boxes vare aligned and arranged through the construction of thef panel itself.

In the present invention each name plate isl framed in the front end of a light box which is pressed into the lpanel in its proper position and all of the light boxes are nested together without any substantial separation between them. This provides a simple, inexpensive yet rugged construction which occupies a minimum of space.

The panel arrangement may be used in connection with a signaling system so that the boxes will be illuminated by manual control or otherwise when the occupants are present or under any other convenient signaling system.

Further and other advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood with reference to the specifications below when taken in connection with the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a group of light boxes and the frame within which they are contained forming a part of the invention. Y

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a slightly modified view of a detail of the invention as viewed from the bottom side of Figure 2 with a plate removed to permit the clearer showing of constructional details.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail corresponding to Figure 3 of the view shown in Figure 2, and,

Figure 6 is a sectional view of 6 6 of Figure 3.

In the present invention there is provided a supporting frame 1 which is preferably rectangular in shape and in which individual light box units 2 are mounted.

The frame 1 has secured to its on the rear face, angle brackets 2 and 3, which may be welded or bolted to the a detail taken along lines a detail taken along lines U-shaped member, but in any event they are positioned at such an angle thatv the box 8 may be readily forced overthe prongs 6 and make frictional contact at the sides of the box in the region of thebosses 7.

In order to make it easy to insert the box elements over the U-shaped channel, shallow grooves 17 are made in the end walls 14 and 15 of the box. These, as seen in Figures 2 and 4, taper towards the front end of the box so that a tight lit will be assured when lthe box is put in place. In addition, since'the long walls taper towards one another, as shown in Figure 4, the end sections of the prongs of the U -shaped member 5, will lit snugly into the end walls of the box and hold the box tightly in place. Resting on the inner face flange or shoulder 11 of the box, is a letter plate 18 which may be translucent or transparent and which will transmit sulicient light through it so the letters which are printed or engraved on the face of the plate 18 will be readily visible by a light 19 within the box when this is lit.

On the inside of the box at each end of the long walls, there are provided two grooves, 20, 20, in which U-shaped spring elements 21, rest, the purpose of which is to hold securely in place the letter plate 18. The plate 4 carries the light or other signal fixture 22 which is secured to it in a suitable manner as by the screws 23 which are tapped into the plate 4. The plate 4 has a series of large holes 22 coinciding with holes 23 inthe U-shaped channel 5 so that the bulb 19 may be screwed in place simply by removing the box.

If desired the switches 24 may be provided for each of the lights or other circuit elements may be attached to the panel or frame. The whole frame may be hinged at one of the sides and be swung open from its supporting cavity in a wall with all of the electrical leads attached thereto so that any change can readily be made from the rear or the front of the unit.

However it will be evident that this need not be done in order to change the name plate or to put in a new light, since all that is necessary is to remove the individual box from the front of the panel by drawing it out, then change the name plate or replace the light in whatever manner that may be required. Connections to all of the light elements are accessible by opening the frame as a whole, that is, by swinging it on its hinges.

Having now described my invention, l claim:

l. A panel board for removable insignia, comprising a frame, a plurality of channel members supported by the frame in continuous line, said channel members having angle sections at each side vforming a part of the channel members, boxes having open backs and front window openings adapted `to receive removable insignia, each of said boxes being of a size to have a snug fit and 4fitting over individual angle sections of said channel member, said boxes being nested together to form a substantially continuous panel board whereby a complete panel with removable insignia is provided.

2. In an insignia panel board, a light box unit including a Ushaped channel member, a light box having an open end on the back face and a window frame opening on the front face, a removable plate element having a size to tit in said box and fill the window opening, said channel member having side prongs forming a snug fit against the end walls of said box with the ends of the prongs vsubstantially extending over the interior width of the box just behind the front window opening.

3. A panel board for removable `insignia comprising a frame, a plurality of insignia boxes nested together side by side filling the frame, means removably supporting the boxes to the frame comprising a U-shaped channel member for each box having side prongs engaging the end walls of each box and the edges of the prongs lling against the side walls of each box, means mounting the Channel members to the frame and removable insignia substantially iilling the face of each box.

4. in an insignia panel board, a light box unit including a U-shaped channel member, a light box having an open end on the back face and a window frame opening on the front face, said light box having side walls sloped slightly towards one another to the front of the box and end walls also sloped slightly toward one another to the 'front of the box, the vfront of the box having a face ange extending inwardly as a border around the window opening, a removable plate element covering said window opening and resting on said ange within said box, said channel member having lside prongs engaging in abutting relation the face of said end and side walls of said box at their Ynaamw dimensions- 5. In an insignia panel board, a light unit including a U-shaped channel member, a light box having an open end on the back face and a window frame opening on the front face, a removable plate element having a size to fit in said box and ll the window opening, said channel member having side prongs with bosses formed on the u' rear faces thereof, and said end wails of said box tapering towards yone another towards the .face of the box, whereby the bosses will engage the faces of said end walls of the boxes and provide a snug fit of the box to said channel.

6. A panel board for removable insignia comprising a frame, a pair of parallel angie bracket elements mounted on the back of the frame at the sides, a plate extending across said bracket elements, said plate having a plurality of mounting holes, a series of U-shaped bracket elements having their cross sections secured to said plate in aligned rows, a series of light boxes having open back ends and front frames for removable window plates for insignia, said light boxes adapted to have a snug fit into the prong ends of the U brackets whereby a complete panel will be made by said front frames of said light boxes.

7 A panel board comprising a mounting frame, a plate secured to said frame, having a plurality of projecting prong elements aligned in rows secured to said plate, a plurality of individual light boxes having walls adapted to Aengage said projecting prong elements to removably hold said light boxes in place, said projecting prong elements being positioned and said light boxes having such a size whereby the faces of the boxes form a continuons panel surface when put in place.

Refer'enees Cited in the file of vthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,108,999 Levison Sept. l, 1914 1,511,093y Pfefferle Oct. 7, 1924 1,655,223 Fabian Jan. 3, 1928 1,819,125 Sadacca Aug. 18, 1931 1,958,640 Reynolds ---a May 15, 1934 2,239,343, Rumbaugh Apr. 22, 1941 2,357,430 Shaw Sept. 5, 1944 

